how can i bring search bar back to top on all apps in ios26 update

TimmyPig wrote:

so was searching on how to move the search bar back up to top, and if you hold the phone in the typical position and try to type with both hands holding the phone, you will find the bar is almost always directly JUST above your finger which is very awkward to read.

This is ODD and NOT comfortable to use.

When you type & read, Your line of sight will typically JUST be inline with the TOP of the phone which where the older search bar was.

I seriously starting to doubt Apple has actually properly tested how ergonomically feasible of their newer product design is now.

search bar for one of the major one, and the "extra multi-function button" is can now accidently goes from silence to ring due to how your hand is holding it...this is another gripe for another thread.

Apple doesn't read here for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

It is not a matter at all if top or bottom is better as everyone has a different, but nevertheless valid, opinion. It is very much a matter that its location at the top was the location from the beginning and I do not recollect seeing anyone ever complain about this. In other words, it wasn't broken but was certainly fixed. The issue is for many, certainly including me, after all these years with it at the top, it has now become very awkward and annoying to use and I am not at all getting used to it (as if there was some overwhelming reason to change it and need to get used to it). I believe the smart thing for Apple to have done, assuming they saw a compelling reason to change it, was to provide an option so the all important customer/user can put it where it is best for each. I have similar thoughts about the so called Liquid Glass. It just completely eludes any logic I am able to conjure up (except possibly a marketing driven change for the sake of change thing) why the crisp easy and comfortable to read text, lines, etc. now are now wiggly and see through. Why continually strive for display technology with greater resolution when you intentionally blur the text and graphics? I am seriously hoping Apple provides an option in a very near future update to return the text to it what it was previously. These two changes have negatively impacted my experience using our phones/iPads well beyond anything I would have previously guessed and that is not at all getting better with time, especially the blurry see through text.

You do understand you're only communicating with other Apple users here on this user to user only forum. If you're not pleased with the change (I actually think it's a great change), tell Apple by using this link --> Feedback - iPhone - Apple

It doesn't matter here whether you like or don't like the change. No one here had anything to do with where Apple chose to move the search bar, so no one here can change anything built into iOS.

Starfish130 wrote:

I HATE this … you took away the home button so the home access is at the bottom and now this is at the bottom too!? At least give the option to change it.

No one participating in this forum took away anything from you. And no one here can give you back what you want.

Tell Apple what you'd like to see:

Product Feedback - Apple

I’m part of the disabled community and I have to hold my phone in the palm of my hands and my thumbs don’t work. So to move the phone down to access the search bar, etc will inevitably my phone will fall out of my hands. And I assume the ppl who don’t have a issue with these changes are probably much younger and can adapt to changes that seem simple and not a big deal…and the rest of us who are probably in the older generation (me 61) I never thought age would matter when I’ve been doing things for many years, but our reaction and movement is much slower and gets slower by the day. Idk if the younger generation have ever heard this phrase before ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’

I also HATE HATE HATE this glass effect. I want the old way back.

id also like to know how and why my passcode now requires 6 digit when it’s been 4 digit. I can only get into my watch by opening my phone. I hope Apple comes out with an update to fix these issues!

lexigirl08 wrote:

I’m part of the disabled community and I have to hold my phone in the palm of my hands and my thumbs don’t work. So to move the phone down to access the search bar, etc will inevitably my phone will fall out of my hands. And I assume the ppl who don’t have a issue with these changes are probably much younger and can adapt to changes that seem simple and not a big deal…and the rest of us who are probably in the older generation (me 61) I never thought age would matter when I’ve been doing things for many years, but our reaction and movement is much slower and gets slower by the day. Idk if the younger generation have ever heard this phrase before ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’

I also HATE HATE HATE this glass effect. I want the old way back.

id also like to know how and why my passcode now requires 6 digit when it’s been 4 digit. I can only get into my watch by opening my phone. I hope Apple comes out with an update to fix these issues!

I'm in the older generation as in over 70 and I love Liquid Glass. But for those who don't, I wrote this user tip, which might actually help you --> Liquid Glass - Love It Or Hate It - It's … - Apple Community

You can't move the search bar back to the top anywhere except in Safari. This is a user to user only forum, so we didn't change things, nor can we bring anything back as it was before. But you are welcome to share your thoughts with Apple here --> Feedback - iPhone - Apple

Apple did not make a change to require you to use a 6 digit passcode. You have the option to choose a 4 digit passcode as you have always had the option to do. When you go to set up a Passcode, it will default to 6 digit, but you can tap below to choose a 4 digit code if you want. See how to change your passcode here --> Use a passcode with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

lexigirl08 wrote:

I’m part of the disabled community and I have to hold my phone in the palm of my hands and my thumbs don’t work. So to move the phone down to access the search bar, etc will inevitably my phone will fall out of my hands. And I assume the ppl who don’t have a issue with these changes are probably much younger and can adapt to changes that seem simple and not a big deal…and the rest of us who are probably in the older generation (me 61) I never thought age would matter when I’ve been doing things for many years, but our reaction and movement is much slower and gets slower by the day. Idk if the younger generation have ever heard this phrase before ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’

I also HATE HATE HATE this glass effect. I want the old way back.

id also like to know how and why my passcode now requires 6 digit when it’s been 4 digit. I can only get into my watch by opening my phone. I hope Apple comes out with an update to fix these issues!

I'm even older than lobsterghost1 with arthritic fingers. Half of the regulars here are over 70 and we do testing of new features.

Anyhow with the search bar at the bottom it should be easier, surely? In any case you move the phone up not down to reach the bottom?

I’m 56 and disabled. My daughter is 23 and fully functional with no disabilities, she’s in college full time and working part time. We both hate the new version. I especially need the old way back or the option to use the old way.

We agree with you 100%

I hate this too and I told Apple. Everyone else who wants to have the option to switch search bar to the top should do the same. Feedback - iPhone - Apple

It makes no sense that one can switch the search bar to the top for safari and chrome but not in iMessages and elsewhere in iOS 26.

It is one thing to remove things like the audio jack and the Home button —I was not happy about that but I get there isn’t much customization possible. but there is absolutely no reason that half of iPhone users should have to change behavior for such an easily customizable feature. Not to mention laptop/desktop search is almost always at the top.

maybe that the whole point. they want to remind us at every moment that we’re using an iPhone even if we’re irritated doing it.

I'm new to this forum (based on my points alone), but not to apple products. I am unsure who you are except you participate a lot and have lots of points and a high level (or highest). I'm guessing you have some connection to apple but if not could you explain your role? I am being objective as I build software for both mobile devices and desktops. I am not just complaining because I don't like it, which I don't, I am complaining because I am a user, regardless if I am 1 of 30,000,000,000 users, and for Steve jobs, this was important. I understand that software must evolve but where there are borderline cases and the functionality has been used for a long period of time, it should be implemented as an option, and by default could be automatically changed for all users but should have the capability of switching boarder line functionality back to how it used to work. When you have a user interface that simply works, don't change it just because the upgrade department has to prove their existence being pushed by the marketing department. The size of my business is irrelevant, I'm not disputing that Apple is not successful as they are clearly a global player. With new functionality you can play around with it without too much harm but if it core UI, you should make it optional, full-stop. In this case its not just about apple moving its location, its more than that. If you notice carefully there is a subtle but annoying difference apart from location. The old location was at the top, and the search bar was not ON-TOP of other text, now its at the bottom , its ON-TOP of text (in MAIL app), and my eye reads whats left, right, and behind it. It puts me off when I am typing. The previous search bar had no clutter behind it. This is my take it on, regardless if i run an inferior shop. If any apple people read this please make those type of borderline important GUI changes optional. I have already posted this to apple via the link you highlighted.

Pacmanrules wrote:

I'm new to this forum (based on my points alone), but not to apple products. I am unsure who you are except you participate a lot and have lots of points and a high level (or highest). I'm guessing you have some connection to apple but if not could you explain your role? I am being objective as I build software for both mobile devices and desktops. I am not just complaining because I don't like it, which I don't, I am complaining because I am a user, regardless if I am 1 of 30,000,000,000 users, and for Steve jobs, this was important. I understand that software must evolve but where there are borderline cases and the functionality has been used for a long period of time, it should be implemented as an option, and by default could be automatically changed for all users but should have the capability of switching boarder line functionality back to how it used to work. When you have a user interface that simply works, don't change it just because the upgrade department has to prove their existence being pushed by the marketing department. The size of my business is irrelevant, I'm not disputing that Apple is not successful as they are clearly a global player. With new functionality you can play around with it without too much harm but if it core UI, you should make it optional, full-stop. In this case its not just about apple moving its location, its more than that. If you notice carefully there is a subtle but annoying difference apart from location. The old location was at the top, and the search bar was not ON-TOP of other text, now its at the bottom , its ON-TOP of text (in MAIL app), and my eye reads whats left, right, and behind it. It puts me off when I am typing. The previous search bar had no clutter behind it. This is my take it on, regardless if i run an inferior shop. If any apple people read this please make those type of borderline important GUI changes optional. I have already posted this to apple via the link you highlighted.

No posters on this user to user only forum have any connection to Apple. We are ALL users, just like you. But some of us have been on this forum for years, as regular posters like IdrisSeabright, enjoy helping people. Like I enjoy helping people. While you are welcome to take the time to share your thoughts here, they aren't thoughts which will be read by anyone at Apple.

If you want Apple to hear you, this is how you can share them here --> Feedback - iPhone - Apple

Pacmanrules wrote:

I am complaining because I am a user, regardless if I am 1 of 30,000,000,000 users, and for Steve jobs, this was important... If any apple people read this please make those type of borderline important GUI changes optional. I have already posted this to apple via the link you highlighted.

Nope, none of us are Apple employees and for Apple to read your input, then you did the right thing by sending them Feedback directly. That is where your voice will be heard and has also worked in the past with the changes found in iOS 26.1. We cannot comment on the changes found in iOS 26.2 because it is still in beta, but you may have to wait and see if you find that helpful.

The points or being new to this support site is irrelevant when it comes to your views you want to express to Apple through the feedback link. The only relevance of the points is that it means they have helped other posters resolve an issue and others had also found it helpful by upvoting the post. It really means nothing more than that. I user with more points does not have any more influence on the Feedback sent to Apple, and it also does not mean they have any special or direct contacts with Apple.

I do find it odd when people bring up Steve Jobs when making some kind of claim that this would never happen under his leadership. You may not remember his famous quote that seems to apply to what you are saying. It was also just a year ago that iOS 18 was released and you can go back on this Support Site and find the same posts where people hated it and can't believe there were changes, and now, that is the one they liked the most. In fact, that is pretty typical of every update.

“Some people say, "Give the customers what they want." But that's not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they're going to want before they do. I think Henry Ford once said, "If I'd asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, 'A faster horse!'" People don't know what they want until you show it to them. That's why I never rely on market research. Our task is to read things that are not yet on the page.”

--Steve Jobs